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Jan. 21—It turns out, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Denny Bray may have had second thoughts when he came out of a decade of hibernation to coach girls hockey again last season. But things are starting to look a little brighter.
Bray was honored by his team before Tuesday's 6-0 win over Windom with a banner showing their appreciation. It's a well deserved recognition for a coach who is still putting in the time, after building the program up over 20 years ago.
Austin had gone 3-43-1 overall in its previous two seasons before Bray took over in 2024. Since then, Bray has guided the Packers, who have a very young roster, to a mark of 10-23-3 overall.
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While the program isn't where it was when Bray guided the Packers to state tournaments in 2000, 2007, and 2008, it is certainly on the rise. Having coached the parents of some of his current players, Bray has managed to find a way to work with a new generation of hockey and motivate them.
Before Bray came back into the fold as an assistant coach a few years back, the program on the verge of moving to just JV, or not having a team at all. Now, interest in girls hockey seems to be rising in the younger ages. The biggest challenge will be to keep those players out and keep them driven.
Bray, who is in the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame, has done his part to keep girls hockey strong in Minnesota, and eventually it'll be someone else's job. As the old saying goes, "it takes a village."
That means that families of players, the community, and the players themselves need to take ownership of hockey in Austin.
Even though they've taken their lumps against some tough opponents, the attitude of the Packer girls has been a positive one this season, and if they keep pushing, they'll continue to improve in the years to come.
Continue reading...
Denny Bray may have had second thoughts when he came out of a decade of hibernation to coach girls hockey again last season. But things are starting to look a little brighter.
Bray was honored by his team before Tuesday's 6-0 win over Windom with a banner showing their appreciation. It's a well deserved recognition for a coach who is still putting in the time, after building the program up over 20 years ago.
Austin had gone 3-43-1 overall in its previous two seasons before Bray took over in 2024. Since then, Bray has guided the Packers, who have a very young roster, to a mark of 10-23-3 overall.
Don't miss the news!Sign up so you never miss a headline.
Do not fill this field
Sign Up
While the program isn't where it was when Bray guided the Packers to state tournaments in 2000, 2007, and 2008, it is certainly on the rise. Having coached the parents of some of his current players, Bray has managed to find a way to work with a new generation of hockey and motivate them.
Before Bray came back into the fold as an assistant coach a few years back, the program on the verge of moving to just JV, or not having a team at all. Now, interest in girls hockey seems to be rising in the younger ages. The biggest challenge will be to keep those players out and keep them driven.
Bray, who is in the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame, has done his part to keep girls hockey strong in Minnesota, and eventually it'll be someone else's job. As the old saying goes, "it takes a village."
That means that families of players, the community, and the players themselves need to take ownership of hockey in Austin.
Even though they've taken their lumps against some tough opponents, the attitude of the Packer girls has been a positive one this season, and if they keep pushing, they'll continue to improve in the years to come.
Continue reading...
